Alabama running back Eddie Lacy and the rest of the Crimson Tide offense ran wild against Missouri in a 42-10 victory.Associated Press

1. Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC): Neither rain, nor more rain, nor a few special teams breakdowns could slow the Crimson Tide. It's almost to the point where Alabama's players are just bored enough by a ho-hum schedule that they're actually listening to Nick Saban's weekly diatribes. About to get real for the Tide with back-to-back bare-fisted brawls against Mississippi State and LSU after this week.

Last week: 1 (beat Missouri 42-10)

Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd has helped the Gators' defense emerge as one of the best in the country.Associated Press

2. Florida (6-0, 5-0): Nice performance by the Gators last week to slog through their letdown after the massive LSU win. Good thing they had the Commodores to pick on, too, because there won't be a ton of room for error the next two weeks as Florida faces South Carolina and Georgia and the SEC East will essentially be decided. Gators defense is plenty stout enough, but they have to get more from their offense against the Gamecocks and Bulldogs.

Last week: 2 (beat Vanderbilt 31-17)

3. LSU (6-1, 2-1): The reports of the Tigers' 2012 demise were greatly exaggerated, but there's still lots of work to do. A third all-together different challenge awaits the LSU defense this week at Texas A&M, but the bigger theme may be whether the Tigers' offense can add another building block to their strong showing against South Carolina. At some point you get the sense Zach Mettenberger is due for a breakout day - could the Aggies' defense provide that opportunity?

Last week: 4 (beat South Carolina 23-21)

4. South Carolina (6-1, 4-1): The Gamecocks are in the same exact position LSU was in last week: Painted into a corner with plenty of goals lying ahead despite a physical and emotionally draining loss to another SEC heavyweight. Carolina didn't lose because it didn't stack up to LSU. The Gamecocks weren't out-schemed and fell victim to a rowdy home crowd. Playing on the road will be a challenge again this week at The Swamp, so concocting a different - and better - game plan will be a huge key. Ol' Ball Coach, you're up.

Last week: 3 (lost to LSU 23-21)

Mississippi State QB Tyler Russell has guided the Bulldogs to a 6-0 start.Associated Press

5. Mississippi State (6-0, 3-0): Still can't figure out the Bulldogs. They had their best offensive game of the season against Tennessee, and also arguably their worst defensive day. Or is the State defense just not all it was cracked up to be? The Bulldogs have one more chance to sharpen their teeth this week against Middle Tennessee before they head into a season-defining gauntlet.

Last week: 5 (beat Tennessee 41-31)

6. Georgia (5-1, 3-1): Out of sight, out of mind for the Bulldogs last week as they healed up from the wounds of the four-touchdown bludgeoning by South Carolina. The next step for Georgia is to get back on the horse and Kentucky will likely have to pay the price. As bad as the loss to the Gamecocks was, the Bulldogs could still wind up in the driver's seat in the East Division by downing Florida on Oct. 27 in Jacksonville. They'd better figure out a way to churn out more offense against a top-notch defense than they managed against Carolina.

Last week: 6 (Idle)

7. Texas A&M (5-1, 2-1): Offense has carried the Aggies all season and saved them from a humbling loss to Louisiana Tech last week. Will that be enough to allow A&M to keep its head above water, though, as it gets set to face the meat of its West Division schedule? We're about to find out. The first test out of the box comes at home at least when LSU comes to town. The Tigers and Aggies haven't met at Kyle Field in 17 years, and maybe the magic that allowed A&M to win seven of nine against LSU there can be rekindled.

Last week: 7 (beat Louisiana Tech 59-57)

8. Arkansas (3-4, 2-2): Very subtly, the Razorbacks have started to resurrect their season with back-to-back thorough wins against SEC teams apparently even worse off than the Hogs. Arkansas' offense has come to life with 905 yards and 43 first downs the last two weeks, sparked by quarterback Tyler Wilson's 602 yards and five touchdown passes. Two more winnable games await Arkansas when it comes back from a bye and that could be the difference between a bowl game or a season completely up in smoke.

Last week: 12 (beat Kentucky 49-7)

9. Ole Miss (4-3, 1-2): Five games remain in the Rebels' maiden campaign under Hugh Freeze, but it's not a stretch to say this season has already been a success. That was underscored last week when Ole Miss snapped a 16-game SEC losing streak in resounding fashion against Auburn. The Rebels still have work to do to carve out a bowl berth in Freeze's first season and that won't be easy down the stretch. Hard to completely doubt the Rebs now, though.

Last week: 9 (beat Auburn 41-20)

Vanderbilt's offense has to find its groove down the stretch and tailback Zac Stacy is a big key to that.Associated Press

10. Vanderbilt (2-4, 1-3): No back-to-back wins for the Commodores, but they put up a tussle against Florida last week and should take something from that performance. Vanderbilt's next three foes (Auburn, UMass and Kentucky) are a combined 2-17, so the table is set for a nice run if the 'Dores can get Zac Stacy and Jordan Rodgers revved up. Vandy is heavily favored against Auburn this week, which is shocking in its own right, and it's time to see if James Franklin has the Commodores for real.

Last week: 10 (lost to Florida 31-17)

11. Tennessee (3-3, 0-3): Not getting any prettier for the Volunteers or Derek Dooley and now they have to tangle with Alabama. What exactly could save Dooley's job isn't clear any more, but knocking off the Crimson Tide would certainly be a massive step in the right direction. UT's offense has a chance to be the best test Alabama has faced this season, but quarterback Tyler Bray is coming off a pedestrian day (148 passing yards) against a Mississippi State defense that's not in the same stratosphere as Alabama's.

Last week: 8 (lost to Mississippi State 41-31)

12. Missouri (3-4, 0-4): That the Tigers are allowing 33.3 points a game in their four SEC games doesn't resonate as much of a shock. The fact that Missouri isn't cracking 14 points a game in those setbacks is an attention-getter, though. With or without James Franklin, Missouri's offense should be better than ranking 10th or lower in every major category.

Last week: 11 (lost to Alabama 42-10)

13. Auburn (1-5, 0-4): As if it weren't bad enough on The Plains, the indignity that only Kentucky is keeping the Tigers from the bottom of the Power Poll barrel should be jarring. Auburn is so bad in year four under Gene Chizik that now even Pat Dye has gone silent instead of propping his friend up. For Chizik to survive and get a chance at a fifth season, AU needs a turnaround that nobody on earth outside the Loveliest Little Village on the Plains could fathom.

Last week: 13 (lost to Ole Miss 41-20)

14. Kentucky (1-6, 0-4): The Wildcats are so bad that they're getting mercy from the elements against a team that just a few weeks ago was a raging dumpster fire. Kentucky has been outscored 152-38 in four SEC blowout losses. Something nice to say about the Cats: They are tied for first in the league in penalties, with only 31 flags in seven games. Other than that, yeesh.